Campus Attitudes Toward Safety: Your Chance to Tell

Video by UK Public Relations and Marketing. Special thanks to the students, faculty, administrators and staff who came together to make this video possible (see names below). 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 3, 2016) — As part of a five-year commitment to addressing and improving students’ well-being and safety, all University of Kentucky students are being asked to complete Campus Attitudes Toward Safety (CATS) again this spring.

Starting today, all UK students (undergraduate, graduate and professional) may access CATS through their myUK portal and should complete the 20-25 minute confidential survey before their class registration window opens. Graduating students will need to complete the survey before being able to access their transcripts. 

"I expect my university to do all that they can for students, and having UK conduct a survey of this magnitude is absolutely crucial to me as a student," said Jenna Hollinden, a UK senior and vice president of the Student Government Association. "It makes me feel safe, it makes me feel that they want my experience to be a positive one, not only in the classroom and when I’m on campus, but no matter where I go as a student. The data isn't just going to a research center — it’s affecting me and my time here at UK. I would encourage all students to look at the survey as an opportunity."

CATS consists of several sections that ask questions about students' beliefs, opinions and knowledge of various topics. The development of these sections occurred through partnerships with the President's Office, UK Police, University Health Services (UHS), Student Affairs, Legal Counsel, and the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Center.

“This is essential to our ability to create appropriate policies and further strengthen our culture of safety and mutual responsibility,” said UK President Eli Capilouto in an email to students today. “We need to know how safe you feel on campus and what experiences and perceptions inform your views. We need to know, too, what improvements you believe we need to make.”

To encourage early completion of CATS, the university will offer students chances to win prizes such as UK Dining meal cards, cash and even UK parking permits, if they complete it before their priority registration window opens.

Last spring, Capilouto and endowed faculty of the UK Center for Research on Violence Against Women initiated the first CATS survey, which was completed by more than 25,000 students. UK officials believe the university is among the first in the country to undertake a mandatory campus-wide survey regarding sexual assault and campus climate.

Preliminary data released last fall showed that more than 90 percent of UK students believe their campus is safe and officials are responsive to safety concerns. However, much work remains to be done, Capilouto said, as too many students (25 to 40 percent) say they don't know what resources are available for reporting instances of sexual assault or bullying. And far too many students say alcohol or other substances are abused, increasing the risk of victimization and other serious problems.

Video by UK Public Relations and Marketing.

Reporting a Safety Concern (public)

• UK Police: www.uky.edu/Police/ 
• UK Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity: www.uky.edu/EVPFA/EEO/index.html

Reporting a Safety Concern (confidential)

• VIP Center: www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/VIPCenter/ 
• UK Counseling Center: www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Counseling/
• University Health Service: http://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/uhs/ 

"When we learn how these things happen, where these things happen, who they are reported to, why people don’t report — all of those little junctures along the way where you would want to intervene — we have more information about how to focus intervention," Capilouto said.

Key recommendations that the university is working to implement include:

• Making reporting information more accessible through UK’s website and other channels.
• Strengthening distribution of information regarding affirmative consent and what constitutes different forms of harassment, bullying and violence.
• Ensuring that sufficient counseling resources are in place for victims and that they are well advertised to the campus community.
• Ensuring that off-campus students are included in education efforts.
• Continuing to support and enhance the bystander intervention training and education programs for prevention of sexual violence.
• Expanding training and education efforts to include alcohol and drug abuse prevention.

View an executive summary of last year's results and recommendations.

Special thanks to the students, faculty, administrators and staff who came together to make the video happen. Their names, in order of appearance: 

:00 Jenna Hollinden, UK Senior

:02 Weston Loyd, UK Senior

:04 Malia Dunn-Reier, UK Senior

:06 Christina Lehman, UK Senior

:08 Terrance Wade, UK Junior

:10 Laura Bodnar, UK Junior

:12 Nicki Henlein, UK Junior

:13 Carol Taylor-Shim, Violence Intervention and Prevention Center Social Justice Educator

:15 Dr. Eli Capilouto, UK President

:19 Austin Mullen, UK Student Government President

:25 Dr. Kim Woodrum, UK Chemistry Senior Lecturer

:34 Madison Rose, UK Senior

:49 Chanel Friday, UK Senior

:52 Joe Monroe, UK Police Chief

1:42 Dr. Jonathan Goldman, UK Psychology Professor

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uky4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT: Jenny Wells, 859-257-5343; jenny.wells@uky.edu